Standardized patient-based examinations and objective structured clinical examinations are routinely used for formative assessments in osteopathic and allopathic medical schools
7,10-13 and graduate medical education programs,
14-17 as well as for summative assessments in medical schools
12,18,19 and licensure.
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During COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, examinees rotate through 12 stations, in which they evaluate SPs who have been trained to simulate a variety of typical clinical presentations. Each of the 12 stations includes a 14-minute patient-physician encounter (ie, case), followed by a 9-minute period in which the examinee completes a written note about the encounter—the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) Note. Cases are assigned under blueprint content categories (eg, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neuromusculoskeletal, respiratory, other clinical presentations) and are designed to vary in SP age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Cases also vary in clinical complaints, which could be acute or chronic in nature or provide opportunities for health promotion or disease prevention.
At the start of the examination, students are randomly assigned to a pretest station, which may contain unscored material used to evaluate new SPs and cases. Research shows no benefit from the administration of unscored material at any time during the examination.
20 Examinee performance measures are collected from each of the test stations.
A student is eligible to take the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE if he or she has passed the COMLEX-USA Level 1, has completed his or her second academic year at a COM accredited by the COCA, and has been approved to take the examination by the COM's office of the dean. If an individual has already graduated from a COM, that individual must provide a verified copy of his or her diploma to take COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.
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